It's early and deadly still. The best part of the day. I can see my neighbour on the hill checking her sheep. It's the same lane, the same field but in the morning frost, this dawn creates another world. Later, the wind will whip up a little and the sun will fill up these shadows with light. For now the long dark tree . . .
First frost and final freedom
It's been a great year. One of the best. After years of campaigning for women's rights, I turned 60 and realised I could finally LIVE liberation rather than just hoping for it. What took me so long? What changed? Growing up in Ireland during a different era, we girls were rewarded for CARING. I wasn't . . .
Sentinel ~ the first midweek image feature
You can BUY this image here I sometimes stand in the farmyard at the lake waiting for the Robin. Truth is she prefers a dung heap to a bird table so this is where I will always encounter her. Early in the morning, later in the evening it doesn't matter, she will always appear. Chipping and ducking in that bolshy way, . . .
You can’t use up creativity the more you use, the more you have
It was Maya Angelou who said" You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." When I began on this path coming up to four years ago, it didn't seem so. Perhaps I would over share my precious resource? Maybe I would bore myself and everyone else with my excitement at the beauty I was finding the ordinariness of my . . .
The photography book GIVE AWAY results
Before the sun sets I am going to pull a name from the bag and announce the winner of a signed copy of the book. It's another first for me, a first ever Give Away. I have finally put my toe into the book selling world and I can honestly say that shop keeping is a humbling experience. Some people are very good at it and I take . . .
Photography tricks and treats for Halloween
It started with images of autumn leaves floating in the murky waters of the lake. Already layered and textured, I added the photo of myself standing, half turned in the archway. Then the little lantern plants and the meditating rabbit. Happy Halloween and there are lots more photography tricks and treats you can make here . . .
Just before they fall apart
Just before they die off for the winter they have their most spectacular show. Faded edges, crinkled old flowers, their faces a little worse for wear. The October sun catches them in their last glory. Having been down this path before, I know there will be one more beautiful phase as the papery petals . . .
Being creative in the dark
It's getting darker and these are challenging times. I see it every day in my work with NGOs. The current lack of funding allows very little wriggle room for creativity and it's getting harder to stay upbeat about the future. I also notice that every time I put my latest work out there in the world, it feels like I might slip . . .
On making a book in the presence of butterflies
I have just put my first little book out there into the world! I started the book back in Greece when I had a "studio" space with a view and free wifi as long as I bought a glass of wine and a few nibbles. (OK, yes it was a bar on the beach!) Most evenings I would sit there screening Instagram photos and figuring out . . .
Embracing shade
During the summer of 1975 when I was on the road with an architect, a singer, an uileann piper and a gypsy guitarist, we diverted from lucrative street performing in Germany to visit Scandinavia. We travelled in a green VW van which had been gifted to us one night during a dinner party in the home of an . . .
